The german Online-journal for public science www.wissenschaft.de which is connected to "Bild der Wissenschaft" today is reporting, that astronauts are suffering earlier than others by getting blind due to "Grauer Star" ("Grey Star" in English? It's somethink like the eyes getting very dusty).

The reason is the radiation in space which causes the astronauts to see very short lightnings too.

This may have a seroius negative impact on the public perception of private space travels.

What way could the effects be prevented? And what medical ways do medical science provide? Dr_Keith_H, what methods and ways do you know?

Well, I think the easiest way to deal with that, or any radiation based problems by anti UV methods, blocking, say on the hull of the ship. We have methods now of blocking radiation, so integrating that with our transportation might be necessary for longer flights.

On the ISS now they say that living long in space has created cancer, which they are thinking is related to the radiation in space, which is only related to the SUN. So if they can get that out of the way, radiation won't be a problem.
This is just an educated guess of course.

But this tends to be a discussion on technologies themselves and prizes themselves.

My focus was a little bit different:

1. Is it to be expected that the result will have early negative impacts on the public perception of private space travels? (and on the political and governmental perception too...?)

2. Could and should the public perception be stabilized by prizes?

3. Could and should the XPRIZE Foundation (plus WTN) do this stabilization to prove significant feeling of responsibility to the general public?

4. Should that responsibility be left to NASA because of their missions to moon and Mars?

5. If the Foundation and/or WTN should prove responsibility - would a prize be a good idea? Then in the WTN XPRIZE section of this board there should be discussions (medical WTN XPRIZE or technological WTN XPRIZE or something else?) but not here.

6. If the Foundation should leave the proof of responsibility to NASA - to what degree would that mean disadvantages?

7. If the really the responsibility should be left to NASA - should it be a Centennial Challenges Prize? Then there should be discussions in that section.

What is best for the public perception of private space travels?

My personal opinion is that the Foundation, the private space travel firms and the private spacecrafts constructors and producers should prove responsibility and Bigelow should be included - the scientific result is providing possible public and political damage and danger for private space travels. But there may be arguments against this.

I believe the english term for "grauer star" is "cataracts". In any case, it is a disease of the eyes with symptoms including calcification of capillaries IIRC, which causes a 'net' of opaque lines to form over the cornea.